Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-04-30
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H.HiStorz Of: Ad2ehture
by j. RIDER HAeeARD.
INTRODUCTION.

looked at IRON That point or view only, is, |
suppose, one Of tho most wonderful and mystic
rious adventures ever experienced by mortal
men, feel II incumbent on me to explain what
my exact connection with 1t Is And so may
as well say at once that am not the narrator,
but only the editor, Of this extraordinary
history, and then proceed 10 tell how it found
It's way into my hands.
Same years ago j, the editor, was stopping
with o brother at one of tho universities,
which, for thepmposes OF this history we will
call Cambridge, and was one day much
struck with Che appearance Of two people
whom ] saw going arm in arm down the
street. One Of these gentlemen was, think,
without exception, tho handsomcst young fell
low have ever set eyes on. lie was very
tail, very broad and had n look of power and
a grace of bearing that seemed as native to
him as it Is TO q wild stag. In addition his
face was almost without naw--a good face as
well as n beautiful one, and whom he lifted his
hat, which he did ju-5 then TO a passing lady,
saw that ms head was covered with little
golden curls growing close to the scalp
aGood gracousP' / said to my brother,
with whom | was walking; @why that fellow
looks like a statue Of Apollo come to life.
What a splendid man be isl"
ayes" he answered, lie Is the handsomest
man in the university and one Of the incest,
too. They call him the Greek god But look
at the other one. Hos Vinceys Chats the
gods name) guardian md supposed to be full
of every kind Of information. They call him
'Charon."
I looked and found tho older man quite as
interesting in bis way as the gloriiied spcci-
men of humanity at bis side. Heappeared TO
be about forty years of age, and was, think,
as ugly as his companion was handsome To
begin with, he was shortish, rather bow
legged, very deep chested and with unusually
long arms. IIo had dark hair and small
eyes, and the hair grew right down ON his
forehead and bis whisSers grew right up to
his hair, so that there was uncommonly little
of lis countcnance to be seem Altogether he
reminded me fore bly, of gorilla, and yet
there was somethir g very pleasing and genial
about the mans eye. | remember saying
that Should like TO know him.
@All right" answered my brother; "noth-
ing easier | know Vincey; I'll introduce
YOU" ana he did; and for some minutes we
stood chatting-about the Zulu people, /
think, for had just returned from the Cape
at the time. Presently, however, o stoutish
lady, whose name do not remember, came
along the pavement accompanied by apretty,
fair haired girl, and these two Mr. Vincey,
who clearly knew them well, at once joined
and walked Off in their company. | re-
member being rather amused because or the
change in the expression Of the elder man,
whose name discovered vas Holly, when he
saw the ladies advancing He suddenly
stoned short in his talk, cast a reproachful
look at his companion, and, with an abrupt
nod to myself, turned and marched Off alone
across the street. heard afterward that he
was popularity supposed to be as much afraid
of q woman as most people are OF mad dog,
which accounted for his precipitate retreat.
| cannot say, however, thot young Vmcey
showed much aversion to feminine society on
this occasion. Indeed, / remember laughing,
and remarking to my brother at the time
that he was not the sort of man whom one
would care to introduce TO the lady one was
going to marry, since it is exceedingly prob
able that the acquaintance would end in a
transfer of her affections. He was altogether
too good looking and, what is more, he had
none of that consciousness and concelt about
him which usually afIlicts handsome men,
and makes them deservedly dislilzed by their
fellows
That evening my visit came to an end, and
that was the last / saw or heard Of Charon
and the Greel, god for many long day. In
deed, have never seen either of them from
that hour to this and do not suppose it likely
that | SHALL But a month ago received a
letter and two packets, one of manuscript,
and on opening the first, found that it was
signed by "Horace Holly" name that at the
moment was not familiar to me. 1t ran as
| follows: